Shaft coupling



Oct. 26,l 1937. A. T. HARRIS 2,097,052

SHAFT COUPLING Original Filed June 5, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 MT@ ws a Q i mm m 1 A T A im@ s u ,...HH y A QN S W u l ///Z n WN\ u Il \\\.\.IA|I \m\\ NTI-; @Y n S f v w m Qvw N 1Q mf NLM. A

A. T. HARRIS SHAFT COUPLING Oct. 26, 1937.,

Original Filed June 5, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATToRNEx/Jl A. T. HARRIS SHAFT COUPLING Original Filed June 5, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR T HQJ-'r-L's l A {TOR/VERY.

Patented Oct. 26, 1937 NITE!) STATES PATENT OFFICE SHAFT COUPLING Application June 5, 1936, Serial No. 83,620 Renewed April 17,1937

5 Claims.

This invention relates to shaft couplings Vand has for one of its objects the provision of such a device which when used to couple or join two shafts, the said shafts will run or rotate just as freely when out of alignment as they would rotate when in absolute alignment.

Another object of the invention is the provisio-n of a device of this character which will accommodate or adjust itself to any change within given limits of the relative positions of the two shafts which it connects.

A further object of the invention is the provision of such a coupling which will be just as effective for coupling two shafts which are out of alignment but whose center lines cross, as for shafts which are. out of alignment but the centers of which are parallel to each other.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of such a device comprising a pair of coupling members flexibly connected together by means of a plurality of gear segments, levers and rollers, so arranged as to produce a highly efficient coupling which may be used wherever two shafts are to be joined together.

Another object is to produce a device of the character described in which the maximum simplicity of construction and operation is secured.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the nature of the improvements is better understood, the invention consisting substantially in the novel arrangement and correlation of parts herein fully described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference characters are used to describe corresponding parts throughout the several views, and then finally pointed out and specifically defined and indicated in the appended claims.

The disclosure made the basis of exemplifying the present inventive concept suggests a practical embodiment thereof, but the invention is not to be restricted to the exact details of this disclosure, and the latter, therefore, is to be understood from an illustrative, rather than a restrictive standpoint.

The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety of mechanical expressions, one of which, for the purpose of illustration, is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View of one form of my improved shaft coupling;

Fig. 2 is a side View in elevation of one set of gear segments, levers and roller assemblies;

Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 2 but of a single gear segment and lever assembly partly broken away;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view looking from the right of Fig. l with parts omitted from the section;

Fig. 5 is an end view partly in section looking from the right of Fig. 1;. and

Fig. 6 is a side view partly in section of one of the gear segments looking from the left of Fig. l. lo

Referring now to the drawings in detail, 'I Vindcates a coupling Ymember in the form of a housing having an annular flange or wall Ia rising from a base or Wall Ib provided'with four holes 8, 8a, 3b and 8, spaced ninety degrees apart l and is further provided with a hub or boss 9 having a central shaft-receiving bore IIJ.` At the right-hand end of the housing thereis secured to the flange Ia a cover plate II by means of screws I2.

Pivotally extending into the holes 8, 8a, 8b and 6c are pins or extensions I 3, I 3a, I3b and I3c extending respectively from gear segments I6, I6a, IIb andl |66. The segments I6 and I6a are provided with gear teeth II and I'Ia respectively which are in mesh and the segments I6b and I6c are provided respectively with intermeshing teeth I'lb and I'Ic. 'I'he various segment extensions or pins are maintained in their respective holes by means of washers I4 and screws I5 which are threaded into the said extensions.

The segment I6 has an extension or shaft I8 to which is secured at its free end a lever arm I9 by means of a pin 2|, the said arm being provided with a pivot 20 pivotally mounted in a hole IIa in the plate II. The segments |621, I6b and I 6c are respectively provided with shafts I8a, I8b, and IBC, the same in all respects as the shaft I8. The free ends of the last mentioned shafts are provided with lever arms |921, I9h and I9c which are secured respectively by pins 2Ia, 2|b and 2 Ic and are respectively provided with pivots 26a, 2|)b and 20c which extend into holes IIa in the platev I.|. The holes IIa are drilled in alignment With the holes 8, 8a, 8b and 8c in the wall 1b, 45

Slidingly mounted on the shaft I8 is a bushing 24 which is driven into a crowned roller 26, the said roller having a sliding fit in a crowned slot 2l in a coupling member 28. The shafts |82, I8b and I6c are provided respectively with bushings 50 and rollers 2lia and 26a, 24h and 26h, and 24C and 26, similar to the bushings and rollers 24 and 26. The rollers 26a, 26h and 26 are in sliding engagement with slots 21a, 2lb and 2'Ic in the coupling member 28. The coupling member 28 is 55 provided with a hub or boss 29 which has a central shaft opening 3l] and a clearance depression 3l to clear the offset portions 32 of the segment sections I6 and I. A recess 33 is formed between the hub 9 and the segments I6 and IISa to permit proper operation of the gear segments I6b and IBC.

The operation of the device is as follows: The shaft which fits into the opening I0 delivers motion'and power to the housing 'I and cover plate II which transfers same to the coupling member 28 through the shaft, roller and lever connections I8, I9, 26 and the similarly numbered parts having the coefficients a, b and c. If the driven shaft Which ts into the opening 30 is in misalignment with the drive shaft in the hole I0 but parallel thereto, the said Vmisalignment being toI the rightor left of the center shown in Figs. 4 and 5, then the gear segments I6 and IIfL will have relative pivotal movement about their respective pivots I3 and I32L induced by the coupling member 2li-exerting a pressure or force upon the shafts I8 and I8a through the rollers 26 and 26a. Similar results are obtained if the misalignment is up or down, the action taking place however between the gear segments IIb and |60. Ifthe misalignment is in both hori- Zontal and vertical directions then the relative movement will take place between all of the gear segments.

VIf the misalignment is angular that is if the center lines of the drive and driven shafts cross each other then the rollers 26 and 26a will be slid in opposite directions on their respective shafts I8 and Ia. The same holds true of the rollers 26b and 2lic with respect to their shafts IBb and |80.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a simple yet efcient shaft coupling which can be used wherever two shafts are joined and which will operate as freely when the connected shafts are in or out of alignment with each other.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A sha-ft coupling comprising a coupling member, intermeshing gear segments pivotally mounted on the said coupling member, a second coupling member having slots therein, and rollers rotatably and slidably carried by the gear segments in operative engagement with the slots in the second coupling member for transmitting movement to the gear segments When the coupling members are out of alignment.

2. A shaft coupling, comprising a coupling member having a shaft-receiving bore therein, two pairs of intermeshing gear segments pivotally mounted on the said coupling member, a shaft carried by each segment above its pivot point, a. second coupling member having a shaft-receiving bore and roller-receiving slots, and a slidably and rotatably mounted roller on each of the segment shafts in operative engagement with the slots in the second coupling member for transmitting movement to the gear segments when the coupling members are out of alignment.

3. A shaft coupling, comprising a coupling member having a shaft-receiving bore therein, two pairs of inter-meshing gear segments pivotally mounted on the said coupling member, a shaft carried by each segment above its pivot point, a plate secured to the coupling, a lever secured to each shaft and pivotally mounted on the plate, the pivots on the said levers being in alignment with the gear segment pivots, a second coupling member having a shaft-receiving bore and roller-receiving slots, and a slidably and rotatably mounted roller on each of the segment shafts in operative engagement with the slots in the second coupling member for transmitting movement to the gear segments when the coupling members are out of alignment.

4. A shaft coupling, comprising a coupling member having a shaft-receiving bore at one end thereof, an annular wall on the said coupling member, a plate secured to the wall at the end opposite to the shaft-receiving bore, a pair of intermeshing gear segments pivotally mounted-on the coupling member, a second pair of intermeshing gear segments pivotally mounted on the coupling member, the said pairs of segments being disposed at right angles, a shaft carried by each segment above its pivot point, a lever secured to each of the shafts and pivotally mounted in the plate, the pivots on the said levers being in alignment with the gear segment pivots, a second coupling member having a shaft-receiving bore and roller-receiving slots, and a slidably and rotatably mounted roller on each of the Segment shafts in operative engagement with the slots in the second coupling member for transmitting movement to the gear segments when the coupling members are out of alignment.

5. A shaft coupling, comprising a coupling member, intermeshing gear segments pivotally mounted on the said coupling member, an extension on each segment above its pivot point, a second coupling member having roller-receiving slots therein, and a slidably and rotatably mounted roller on each of the segment extensions in operative engagement with the slots in the second coupling member for transmitting movement from the rst named coupling member to the second named coupling member.

.ALBERT T. HARRIS. 

